Farro Salad With Fennel and Oranges (Printable)

Nutty farro tossed with crisp fennel, fresh oranges, and toasted almonds in a zesty citrus dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grain

01 - 1 cup uncooked whole grain farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Produce

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced with fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups arugula or baby spinach
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Nuts

08 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain excess water and allow to cool completely.
02 - While farro cooks, toast sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled farro, sliced fennel, orange segments, arugula or spinach, and fresh parsley.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Add toasted almonds and toss lightly. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's one of those salads that actually keeps you full without feeling heavy, thanks to the chewy farro that gives you something to chew on.
  • The sweet-tart citrus dressing comes together faster than you'd expect, and it makes every bite feel intentional and bright.
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together when you're ready, making it perfect for meal prepping or bringing somewhere.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad until right before you eat it if you used spinach instead of arugula, because the warm grains will wilt it down to nothing.
  • Farro varies brand to brand—sometimes it cooks in 20 minutes, sometimes it needs the full 30, so taste it as you go instead of trusting the timer completely.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the greens separate and toss everything together just before serving; the farro, fennel, and almonds actually taste better the next day.
03 -
  • Make extra dressing because the farro will drink it up as the salad sits, and you'll want to toss everything again right before eating.
  • If you have time, let the dressed salad sit for 15 minutes before adding the almonds and greens—the flavors marry together and taste way more developed.
  • Blood oranges or grapefruits give this salad a completely different personality, so play around and see what your market has that season.
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